Legis Daily

Payment Choice Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-2326| Senate 
| Updated: 7/17/2025
Kevin Cramer

Kevin Cramer

Republican Senator

North Dakota

Cosponsors (1)
John Fetterman (Democratic)

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This bill, titled the Payment Choice Act of 2025 , aims to ensure that United States currency is treated as legal tender, reflecting a sense of Congress that consumers should have the right to use cash for payments at retail businesses throughout the nation. The core provision mandates that any person selling goods or services at retail, who accepts in-person payments at a physical location, must accept cash for sales up to $500 per transaction. Furthermore, these businesses are prohibited from charging cash-paying customers a higher price than those paying with other methods. Exceptions to this mandate include temporary situations like a sales system failure or insufficient change. Businesses can also be exempt if they provide customers with a no-fee device that converts cash into prepaid cards on the premises, provided the card funds do not expire, no personal identifying information is collected, and there are no fees to use the card. For a five-year period, businesses are not required to accept $50 bills or larger denominations, with the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a rule thereafter regarding acceptable bill sizes, always requiring $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills. The bill outlines an enforcement mechanism where aggrieved customers can notify a retailer of a violation and, if not resolved, pursue a civil action for preventative relief, actual damages (or $250 liquidated damages), and civil penalties up to $1,500 for repeat offenses. The Attorney General may intervene in such actions, and courts can appoint attorneys for individuals. State or local laws offering greater consumer protections are not preempted by this Act. Additionally, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the National Credit Union Administration will be required to submit annual reports on the geographic distribution and location of automated teller machines.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-4145
Payment Choice Act of 2020

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-4497
Payment Choice Act of 2022

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-1984
Payment Choice Act of 2023
Feb 7, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-1138
Introduced in House
Jul 17, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Jul 17, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-4145
    Payment Choice Act of 2020


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-4497
    Payment Choice Act of 2022


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-1984
    Payment Choice Act of 2023


  • February 7, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-1138
    Introduced in House


  • July 17, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • July 17, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Finance and Financial Sector

Payment Choice Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-2326| Senate 
| Updated: 7/17/2025
This bill, titled the Payment Choice Act of 2025 , aims to ensure that United States currency is treated as legal tender, reflecting a sense of Congress that consumers should have the right to use cash for payments at retail businesses throughout the nation. The core provision mandates that any person selling goods or services at retail, who accepts in-person payments at a physical location, must accept cash for sales up to $500 per transaction. Furthermore, these businesses are prohibited from charging cash-paying customers a higher price than those paying with other methods. Exceptions to this mandate include temporary situations like a sales system failure or insufficient change. Businesses can also be exempt if they provide customers with a no-fee device that converts cash into prepaid cards on the premises, provided the card funds do not expire, no personal identifying information is collected, and there are no fees to use the card. For a five-year period, businesses are not required to accept $50 bills or larger denominations, with the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a rule thereafter regarding acceptable bill sizes, always requiring $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills. The bill outlines an enforcement mechanism where aggrieved customers can notify a retailer of a violation and, if not resolved, pursue a civil action for preventative relief, actual damages (or $250 liquidated damages), and civil penalties up to $1,500 for repeat offenses. The Attorney General may intervene in such actions, and courts can appoint attorneys for individuals. State or local laws offering greater consumer protections are not preempted by this Act. Additionally, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the National Credit Union Administration will be required to submit annual reports on the geographic distribution and location of automated teller machines.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-4145
Payment Choice Act of 2020

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-4497
Payment Choice Act of 2022

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-1984
Payment Choice Act of 2023
Feb 7, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-1138
Introduced in House
Jul 17, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Jul 17, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-4145
    Payment Choice Act of 2020


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-4497
    Payment Choice Act of 2022


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-1984
    Payment Choice Act of 2023


  • February 7, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-1138
    Introduced in House


  • July 17, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • July 17, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Kevin Cramer

Kevin Cramer

Republican Senator

North Dakota

Cosponsors (1)
John Fetterman (Democratic)

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

Finance and Financial Sector

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted